APRIL 02, 2017
BIOFUEL MIX CUTS FLIGHT POLLUTION A recent study by NASA showed that mixing conventional and biofuel half-and-half, emissions were down by up to 70 % PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
engine exhaust mixing with the cold air that is typical at cruise altitudes several miles above Earth’s surface, and are composed primarily of water in the form of ice crystals. The tests involved flying NASA’s workhorse DC-8 as high as 40,000 feet while its four engines burned a 50-50 blend of aviation fuel and a renewable alternative fuel of hydro processed esters and fatty acids produced from camelina oil. A trio of research aircrafts took turns
IIT-KGP’s GREEN PROJECTS Students have been told to make study projects that have minimal carbon footprint, from conception to commission
I
Aviation fuel is one of the biggest carbon footprint culprit
The flight of the plane was carefully tracked by three other planes
ENGINEERING GREEN DESIGN
N an effort to make aware of environmental responsibilities, aspiring entrepreneurs at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur have been asked to go green with their innovations. The students have been asked to design their innovation in such a way
Quick Glance A mix of conventional and biofuels have been tried by NASA
A
SSB BUREAU
21
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
AVIATION FUEL COMBO
CCORDING to a recent study by the US space agency NASA, substituting the currently in use fuels for powering the jet engines with biofuels can cut the particle emissions in their exhaust by as much as 50 to 70 per cent. “We show that, compared to using conventional fuels, biofuel blending reduces particle number and mass emissions immediately behind the aircraft by 50 to 70 per cent,” researchers said in the study published in the journal ‘Nature’. During flight tests in 2013 and 2014 near NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, data was collected on the effects of alternative fuels on engine performance, emissions and aircraft-generated contrails at altitudes flown by commercial airliners. Contrails are produced by hot aircraft
Environment
that it goes green right from the stage of sourcing for material to delivering finished products and services to end users, a statement said. “In the Indian context, our students have to focus on three areas while designing new technology: usage of renewable energy, going for environment friendly materials and ensuring the whole process has
flying behind the DC-8 at distances ranging from 300 feet to more than 20 miles to take measurements on emissions and study contrail formation as the different fuels were burned. “This was the first time we have quantified the amount of soot particles emitted by jet engines while burning a 50-50 blend of biofuel in flight,” said study lead author Rich Moore of NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. “Our observations quantify the impact of biofuel blending on aerosol emissions at cruise conditions and provide key microphysical parameters, which will be useful to assess the potential of biofuel use in aviation as a viable strategy to mitigate climate change,” the study said.
KIDS ENVIRONMENT AWARENESS RALLY The theme rally was environment awareness on water conservation, air and water pollution, and recycling
S
PREADING the word of saving environment, around 5,000 school students took part in an environment awareness rally on Rajpath. The rally was held under the Swachh Paryavaran Campaign initiated by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry and was attended by Union Minister of Environment, Forest, Climate Control Anil Madhav Dave and Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Vijay Goel, according to a release. The theme of the rally was environment awareness with the underlying sub-themes of water conservation, prevention of air and
Quick Glance IIT Kharagpur has asked its students to think green in their projects The insistence is on building in green concepts in total design Students have been asked to develop a zero-carbon ambulence
minimum or no carbon footprint,” said Bhaskar Bhowmick of Rajendra Mishra School of Engineering Entrepreneurship, IIT Kharagpur. “Our overall objective is to develop a perspective on the role of Green Entrepreneurship in transforming current production and consumption systems for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) especially developing responsible consumption and production habit among our innovators,” Bhowmick added. The fact remains that green thinking is a comparitively new area of industrial planning. The present crop of engineering students have read about environment but have not imbibed it into a central concern for developing innovative projects And in order to ensure that the students start thinking green, they were asked to design a green ambulance ensuring minimum carbon footprint.
water pollution, encouragement of afforestation and recycling. Another significant issue that was highlighted in the drive was the need for protecting endangered animal species due to environment degradation, depleting forests and water sources. Colourful tableaux (jhaankis) with students dressed in traditional costumes, along with dancers, and informative displays were showcased at the rally, the release said. “The students marched holding placards, banners. Some of them also had their face painted on environmental themes to convey the message of protecting the environment and responsible use of our precious natural resources. Cyclists, school bands and choir teams also added to the gaiety and carnival-like atmosphere,” it said. Fortis Healthcare Ltd. also participated in the campaign by providing medical support with two ambulances and doctors for the duration of the rally.